Batting

SALISBURY, Md. – The No. 7 Salisbury University softball team battled its way back to an extra-inning victory against Washington (Md.) College after run-ruling the Shorewomen in the opening contest 11-3 in six innings to snap the Shorewomens' six-game win streak.

Senior Hannah Mills hit her second home run of the day to tie the Shorewomen, 2-2, in the fourth inning of game two after Washington had a two-run inning in the third. Mills went 4-for-6 with four runs scored and six RBIs on the day, including a grand slam, her second of the season, in game one.

A pitchers' battle would keep the contest scoreless as sophomore Rachel Johnson took over in the circle for junior Kathryn Larson and Kristin Cooper of Washington kept the Sea Gulls off the scoreboard. Larson pitched four innings with two strikeouts, two walks and allowing two runs off three hits. Johnson would come in to pitch in the fifth inning, allowing just one hit with six strikeouts.

Salisbury (24-2) would come out on top in the eighth inning as the Shorewomen walked senior Michelle Gravdahl and Mills to load the bases with freshman designated hitter Paige Knussman up to bat. Knussman would drive the ball to left field to bring home junior Harley Hill, who began the inning on second base, for the win, 3-2.

Johnson earned the win in the circle, her second of the day, to improve to 15-1.

In the first contest, Washington (19-8) would hold Salisbury scoreless until the fourth inning. Mills led off the inning with a double down the left-field line and then scored with two outs as senior Lindsay McCabe hit a double of her own to give the Sea Gulls the go ahead run.

A three-run home run by Gravdahl in the fifth, gave SU a 4-1 advantage before classmate Lindsay Brown singled up the middle to plate Mills. Gravdahl went 4-for-6 with three RBI and three runs scored.

The Sea Gulls surrendered three runs to Washington in the top of the sixth inning as the Shorewomen plated three runs off one hit and a Salisbury error but SU came back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring six runs off four hits and one Washington error.

Mills would hit her grand slam in the final inning after Hill knocked home pinch runner Rachel Spadin with a single down the left-field line. McCabe capped off the scoring plating Meredith Blades with two outs to end the game.

Johnson set a career-high 15 strikeouts in the opening contest with three walks. The Preston, Md., native allowed two earned runs off two hits.